Groundhog's Day
by angelofstargatesg-1
Summary: SG-1 goes to a planet that celebrates Groundhog's Day. In Honor of Today, February 2nd, 2004.
1. Part One

Just a little something I whipped up in honor of today, Groundhog's Day!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Stargate or the characters. I do however, own the Nottins and their planet, Honanania (Ho-na-nan-ia).  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Groundhog's Day  
  
General Hammond looked through the everything-proof glass into the Embarkation room, watching the Colonel prance around in anticipation for the Major. As usual, she was with Sgt. Siler in the control room, making sure their new dialing program worked properly AND as planned.  
  
"Any day now, Carter! You KNOW I'm not getting any younger," Jack impatiently tapped his foot.  
  
"I'm almost done, sir."  
  
"You hear that, Jack? She's almost done! So NOW would you stop tapping your damn foot?!" Daniel screamed, gesturing toward the offending appendage.  
  
Jack only tapped his foot faster and louder, and it took a very peeved Teal'c to stop Daniel from attempting to punch Jack in the face.  
  
"What was that Danny-boy? I'm sorry, I can't hear you from behind Teal'c! Lalalalala . . . . ."  
  
Daniel lunged at Jack, but once again Teal'c blocked his path.  
  
"Outta my way, Teal'c! I'm gonna kill Jack! Argh. . . ."  
  
"I cannot allow you to do that, Daniel Jackson. . . ."  
  
"Lalalalalalalala. . . . . you can't get me! I can't hear you! Lalalalalalalalala! . . . . "  
  
"Uh, sir, Daniel, Teal'c. . . . . ummm. . . we can go now," Sam's voice flooded into the Embarkation room, causing the men to freeze, and looking toward the control room, they met with General Hammond's not-amused glare.  
  
He spoke deliberately and slowly into the mike as Sam entered the room.  
  
"You have a go, SG-1. And Major Carter, make sure that you keep Daniel and Jack separated."  
  
"Yes, sir," she said, turning toward where the event horizon had just opened.  
  
Jack and Daniel grumbled underneath their breaths, but they plastered fake smiles on their faces, preparing to meet the people of P5X-7095.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"So, Carter. Where are all these people that the MALP supposedly picked up?" Jack looked around him, seeing nothing but an endless expanse of adobe sculptures that looked familiarly like groundhogs.  
  
Daniel was already inspecting these aforementioned sculptures with the utmost interest, and Teal'c was already glaring about his surroundings with suspicion.  
  
"Not far from the gate, sir. About two clicks in the north-easterly direction," she gestured in that direction to emphasize her point. "Ready when you are, sir."  
  
"Let's head out, kids. Daniel, you can play with you rocks later. I'm sure there are more in the direction we're going in, anyway."  
  
Daniel turned reluctantly from the hieroglyphics that had caught his attention on the side of the groundhog statue, and followed Jack and Sam's lead. Teal'c fell into step behind the rest of his team, still throwing suspicious and curious glances about him.  
  
The village was exactly where Sam had said it would be, and SG-1 pulled up short just in the entrance of the village.  
  
"Carter. . . what is going on here?"   
  
"I have no idea, sir."  
  
"Teal'c? Ever see anything like this before?"  
  
"I have not, O'Neil. This puzzles me greatly."  
  
"Danny-boy? You?"  
  
"I'm agreeing with Teal'c on this one, Jack. I have NEVER seen anything quite like this."  
  
The entrance to the village was flanked by two groundhogs standing on their hind legs, their front paws touching to form an arch. More groundhog sculptures, just like the ones SG-1 had seen by the Stargate, were inside the village. There were many a fountain, each having a groundhog holding up a basin. In the center of the village stood the grandest of all the fountains, having tiers of rings of groundhogs holding up gold basins with crystal pure water running down the sides. No homes were in sight, but there were homes, since people kept popping their heads out of holes in the ground, indicating where one might live.  
  
SG-1 cautiously proceeded into the center of town, upon nearing the Grand Fountain, a villager appeared.  
  
"By the Great Groundhogs below, what is this?! Who are you?" the villager spoke, a little timid of the newcomers.  
  
Jack stepped back, and let Daniel take reign of the thing he did best- talking.  
  
"We're peaceful explorers from another world. We came through the Stargate. We came to learn more about your culture, and to share technology. I'm Dr. Daniel Jackson, this is Colonel Jack O'Neil, Major Samantha Carter, and Teal'c," Daniel indicated each of the team members he spoke of with a wave of his hand,"Who are you?"  
  
"I am the leader of the Nottins. My name is Muwana, I am named after the first Great Groundhog who ever lived here on Honanania. We worship the Great Groundhogs. We are also peaceful, and wish no harm to you here on Honanania. Tell me, Daniel, where are you from?"  
  
All of SG-1 was stunned into a silence. They all gave each other a look that meant, "The Great Groundhogs? You've got to be kidding me."  
  
Daniel snapped from the stupidity trance, and answered Muwana's question.  
  
"We are from a planet called Earth. I'm sorry, Muwana, did you say you worship the Great Groundhogs?"  
  
"Yes, I did, Daniel. If you come with me, I will lead you to where you can stay the night. We're having a festival later today, that is why there are hardly any villagers here to greet you. Would you follow me, please?"  
  
Muwana turned and lead a very curious Daniel and a still stunned Jack and Sam. Teal'c had come out of the stupidity trance a long while ago, and followed the rest of his team at a safe distance, making sure that spotted all dangerous looking stuff before it was too late.  
  
"Uh, Muwana? What was this you said about a festival later today?"  
  
"Ah, yes, the festival. You must come to that of course!"  
  
"What is it Muwana? What is it about?" "I forget that you are newcomers, Daniel," Muwana said, throwing a glance over his shoulder, "the festival is to celebrate the second day of the month of Februaire (Feb-ooo-air), the day that the Great Groundhogs came up from below and gave us life. We have many games, much food, and many skits- mostly about this day. Here, on Honanania, we call this day, The Day of the Groundhog."  
  
"Oh," Daniel sank back into silence, and turned to look at the rest of SG-1. Jack and Sam had come out of the stupidity trance, and were smiling at each other. Teal'c was still looking around suspiciously, obviously not sure that this place was entirely safe for them.  
  
This is going to be a long trip, Daniel thought to himself.  
  
*~*~  
  
Read and review people!! Part Two is coming up really soon! Like, sometime later today! : ) 


	2. Part Two

Groundhog's Day Part 2  
  
SG-1 tried to get comfortable in the accommodations that Muwana had so graciously provided for them. It was sparsely decorated, and dimly lit. There were three rooms total, the meeting room, the bedroom, and the bathroom. The main entrance led to the meeting room, and a little hallway that led upward spanned out to become what Muwana had called a "spy hole."  
  
It was a typical groundhog burrow.  
  
That people lived in.  
  
Jack looked around the main room again, and sighed. He was already bored out of his mind and he hadn't even been on the planet for a half hour.  
  
"Carter," he whined, "do we HAVE to stay for the festival? This place is BORING!!"  
  
Sam stifled a laugh, and answered her CO, "Yes, sir, I'm sorry, but we have to stay. At least until tomorrow morning," she added quickly when she saw his face droop in exasperation. "Come on, sir. It can't be that bad! Why don't you and I go take a walk to see if there's anything we can help out with for the festival. That way Daniel and Teal'c can go look at the groundhog statues that fascinated him when he first came here."  
  
"Sure, Carter. Anything is better than this place!"  
  
Jack followed Carter down (rather, UP) the main hallway, and out into the darkness of the night.  
  
"Whoa. How'd it get so dark so fast?" Jack looked around, stunned (again), pondering how this could have happened so fast.  
  
"Well, sir, it could have something to do with where Honanania is positioned near their sun. You see, sir . . . ." her voice trailed off as she looked up at the Colonel, her hands poised in mid-air, ready to start showing him what she was talking about.  
  
"English, Carter. MY kind of English."  
  
"Umm . . . the Nottins' planet spins faster than ours?" she offered, in hopes of explaining the terribly scientific answer in MUCH simpler terms.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Muwana came by their little "home," greeting Jack and Sam with much vigor.  
  
"Ah, the Great Groundhogs be with you both! Come, the festival's to start very soon! Where is Daniel and Teal'c?"  
  
"They're inside. I'll go get them," Sam gave Jack an apologetic look, and walked down into the burrow.  
  
"So, Muwana. What fun do you have in store for us tonight?" Jack tried to strike up a normal conversation with the overly-excited conversation with the little alien.  
  
"Oh! I cannot tell you that, Jack! It would spoil the surprise! I tell no one what is going to happen every year, and every year, the people are much surprised! Do you not wish to be surprised, Jack?"  
  
"No. . . not really," Jack muttered as Sam emerged from the burrow with Daniel and Teal'c.  
  
"I thought you said I could look at the statues, Sam," Daniel whined.  
  
"Do not start, Daniel Jackson. I'm sure O'Neil does not like you pestering Major Carter as much as Major Carter does not like you pestering her."  
  
That shut Daniel up, and he sulked all the way to the festival. His mouth could not stay closed however, when they came upon the village center. It had transformed completely since SG-1 had arrived. Villager upon villager was dressed in groundhog costumes. Well, it looked like groundhog costumes, that's what he was assuming, anyway.  
  
"Welcome to the festival of The Day of the Groundhog!" Muwana waved his hand, beckoning the team to enjoy themselves. He headed off to where a group of villagers were surrounding a pile of something that faintly resembled fireworks.  
  
"Uh, sir? Don't those look like fireworks to you?"  
  
"Indeed, they do, Major Carter. What shall we do, O'Neil?" Teal'c responded, and looking at the festival surrounding them, he wasn't sure what HE would do himself.  
  
Jack scratched his head in thought for a few seconds, then smiled.  
  
"What the heck! Let's have some fun."  
  
With that said, Jack grabbed Sam's hand and ran off to go find some games to win for her.  
  
Daniel looked for the nearest concession standing with Teal'c, the former looking to see if the Nottins had their own rendition of cotton candy, the latter looking their rendition of corn dogs.  
  
Hours later, the stars were out, and Jack had filled Sam's arms with the prizes he'd won. Daniel had enough cotton candy to knit himself a new wardrobe, and Teal'c had so many corn dogs that he was going to start barking any minute.  
  
"Gather my fellow Nottins to the fountain! It is time for the Colored Shooting Flames!" Muwana's voice rang through the center, and people began heading toward the fountain, elbowing for a good spot.  
  
Jack hefted Sam on his shoulders, and a little squeal escaped her. She had never had so much fun in all her life. Daniel passed her some cotton candy, and she leaned over to snatch a corn dog from Teal'c for Jack. She squeezed her legs together in a form of a hug, and Jack responded.  
  
All at once, catching SG-1 off-guard, bright flames of color erupted in the sky.  
  
Blues, reds, pinks, purples, oranges, greens. . . majestic colors that caused even Teal'c to gasp in awe. The show lasted for an hour, and then everyone trudged home to their burrows to talk of the festival and the fireworks.  
  
"THAT WAS GREAT!!!! We should come back every year!" Sam hopped off Jack's shoulders, throwing her arms around his neck.  
  
"Whatever you say, Major," he kissed her full on this lips, getting the response he wanted.  
  
Daniel and Teal'c smiled as the couple broke apart. Jack and Sam grinned sheepishly, but did not let go of each other's hands.  
  
And so, SG-1 headed back to their burrow, enjoying every minute of the simple celebration in honor Groundhog's Day.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Hope you enjoyed it! Sorry it took so long for Part 2 to come up, but I had a problem at home. Oh, well! I like writing for holidays. It's fun! I also like readers who review. Come on. . . inch your little cursor down to the bottom left-hand side of the screen. . . . you know you want to! : ) 


End file.
